25 indoor rowers announced as winners of the 2024 British Rowing 5 Rings Challenge

The five exciting challenges celebrated Team GB and ParalympicsGB’s rowers at Paris 2024

The British Rowing 5 Rings Challenge took place over the entire period of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, concluding on 9 September, the day after the Paralympic Games closing ceremony.

Each challenge was inspired by the team’s Olympic and Paralympic journey. The 24-stroke and 2024-metre challenges reflected the year of the Games, while the 70-second challenge highlighted the GB Rowing Team’s previous medal count from Paris 1900 to Tokyo 2021 (31 gold, 25 silver, 14 bronze). The 250m and 500m sprint challenges mirrored the final push to the finish line.

Hundreds of participants from across the UK took part in one or more of the challenges, with special areas set up at the British Rowing Junior and Senior Club Championships and at the official TeamGB Olympic and Paralympic Fanzones. Indoor rowers also joined in at home, allowing participants to compete against friends, compare scores with the wider community, or try to beat their own records.

Chris Farrell, Head of Community at British Rowing, said, “We set up the 5 Rings challenge to excite and engage the nation about rowing during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our aim was to showcase how accessible and fun rowing is, as well as provide a great way for people to take part in some fun competition in the TeamGB Olympic and Paralympic Fanzones. The outcome of the challenge was fantastic, with a huge number of people having a go at rowing for the very first time.”

All participants of the challenges are entered into a draw to win spot prizes and winners will receive a British Rowing 5 Rings Challenge medal!

24 stroke challenge winners

Category	Winner
Junior Open	Alex Repton (Hartpury Uni & College BC)
Junior Female	Ianthe Carr (Cambridge 99 RC)
Adult Open	Daniel Lee (Northampton RC)
Adult Female	Rosie Tregenza
Lightweight Adult Open	Joshua Bridge (Kingston RC)
Masters (30 to 59) Open	Chris Covey (Rob Roy RC)
Masters (30 to 59) Female	Anne Rutherford (Poole Amateur RC)
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Open	Matthew Houlihan
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Female	Susan Young
Masters (60-99) Open	Nicholas Holland (Bridgnorth RC)
Lightweight Masters (60-99) Open	Jonathan Sephton

250m race to the line winners

Category	Winner
Junior Open	Dan Cantwell (Hexham RC)
Junior Female	Ianthe Carr (Cambridge 99 RC)
Adult Open	Tony Hopkins
Adult Female	Kate Duffy (University of Leicester BC)
Masters (30 to 59) Open	Tony Whitley
Masters (30 to 59) Female Open	Emma Sowerby
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Open	Vince Russell (Walton RC)
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Female	Susan Young
Masters (60-99) Open	Tony Hopkins
Lightweight Masters (60-99) Open	Dr Julian Kennedy

The 500m race for gold winners

Category	Winner
Junior Open	Dan Cantwell (Hexham RC)
Junior Female	Jorja Baker
Adult Open	Justin Geller
Adult Female	Emma Rouse
Masters (30 to 59) Open	Tony Whitley
Masters (30 to 59) Female	Emma Sowerby
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Open	Andy Harrison
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Female	Susan Young
Masters (60-99) Open	Tony Hopkins
Lightweight Masters (60-99) Open	Dr Julian Kennedy

70 seconds challenge winners

Category	Winner
Junior Female	Molly Quilty (Liverpool Victoria RC)
Adult Female	Emma Rouse
Masters (30 to 59) Open	Tony Whitley
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Open	Vince Russell (Walton RC)
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Female	Susan Young
Masters (60-99) Open	Mike Pearce (Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club)
Lightweight Late Masters Open	Dr Julian Kennedy

2024m challenge winners

Category	Winner
Junior Female	Jorja Baker
Adult Female	Emma Rouse
Masters (30 to 59) Open	Steve Shinder (Aviron Lachine RC)
Masters (30 to 59) Female	Emma Sowerby
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Open	Matthew Houlihan
Lightweight Masters (30 to 59) Female	Susan Young
Masters (60-99) Open	Mike Pearce (Sub 7 Indoor Rowing Club)
Lightweight Masters (60-99) Open	Jonathan Sephton